Fidelity Research FR-64x

Dear @lewm : I podted because your comment that could make your own alignment and you are rigth any one can, that was an example.

I'm posting here even that the FR tonearms are a bad design because the owners like you  can improve the quality performance level in the FR tonearm. I know that you don't care then is not for you but for the ones that cares about  making some " simple " changes in the overall alignment set up all can do it.

@ivelchev did it with out changing the P2S distance.

My take here in this alignment regards and with any pivoted tonearm is always that tif he arm board and tonearm headshell permit it set up the alignment choosing Löfgren A/Baerwald or B with a bit longer length that the manufacturer spec for effective length. How much longer?, as the set up permit it.

In that way the tracking error will goes down as the distortions levels and these means that we will have/listen more groove recorded information with less/lower degradation. Worth to do it .
That's why I told you to test 247mm/250mm on effective length using Löfgren A/Baerwald, you will receive better quality on what you are listening today. No doubt about. No, I don't care if you do or not.

Again, I know that you don't care and like in your Dynavector tonearm set up you follows the manufacturer specs even with higher distortions but that's you.

Through the years I learned the critical importance of turntable/tonearm/cartridge alignment set up and the importance that the set up be made it with accuracy.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @chakster : Yes, I know that but the protractor is the one that came with the TT/tonearm unit where they have a space problem to mount it. As almost all japanese manufacturers Sony did not cares to much of the importance of tonearm/cartridge precise/accurate set up according the standard alignments and that's why you said the PUA-7 comes with a special geometry. It's special because does not goes with any of the standards but it's even worst than Stevenson A.

My advise is that you forget that protractor and make the tonearm/cartridge alignment set up using the Feickert you own, even if you choose again Stevenson A you will have lower distortion levels with the Feickert.

R.

Dear @chakster : Your Sony tonearm normally was coming integrated to the Sony TT PSX series ( 70,60,50. ) and that’s why came with that protractor. It’s really weird to find out a stand alone unit like yours.

You can try 235mm on P2S distance and listen which P2S mount like you more.

Btw:  """  like Raul, pretends on absolute opinion ..""". Sorry you look me that way. My opinion is only an opinion and nothing more. It's like yours or every one else.

R.

@lewm : As I said to you in my post ( one of my latests to chakster. ) you have nothing special on what you bougth not even that " unique unidin ".

This I pasted from other forum:

""" 

in 1938 by LÖFGREN and his solutions through his calculations/equations where the object was and is to calculate the overhang and offset angle in any tonearm/cartridge combination. These are the main outputs in those equations that between other things gives both null points in any kind of alignment choosed and distortion levels.

The input variables need it to make the calculations are:

1- most outer groove record distance 2- most inner groove record distance and 3- tonearm effective length.

Does not exist null points for Löfgren B ( example. ) as a one and only solution: NO.

Null points depends directly not the kind of alignment but which outer/inner most groove distances we choosed as inputs in the equations/calculations. If we change these inputs null points will change it does not matters which kind of alignment we are using.

For years those two inputs were specified by the IEC and latter exist other standard DIN and exist JIS too ( any one of us can have our self standard too. ).
The IEC values are: 146.05/60.325 mm where the DIN: 146.3/57.5 mm

Through the calculations we achieve too the distortion levels that depends on where " are " the calculated null points. The calculations tell us the distortion levels in between the null points and outer both null points.

Overall the UNIDIN is higher in distortion level than Löfgren B in MF. example/picture.

Now, UNIDIN is it something special?: NO.

As I said everyone can have its " own solution " changing the inputs. If we use DIN against IEC standard the overall distortion level will be higher as is the uni-din.

So Löfgren or Baerwald has not an exclusive null points it only depends on the input choosed in the calculations ( there are several calculators over the net. ).

If we change the most inner groove distance input using IEC, this is that instead of 60.325 mm we take as input 54 mm then we have those null points in the picture as uni-din....""

and you are correct when posted: "  I could do my own geometry, "  and you can do it in less than 5 minutes ! ! !

R.

Because you have a different P2S mount distance. Try this: forgeret about the Sony protrcator and mount the PUA 7 at 235mm from the spindle and your  Feickert protractor will works with any alignment you want.

R.

Dear @chakster : Own geometry? where do you read that or whom tell you?. Sony is a japanese manufacturer and used Stevenson A alignment. There is no " dedicated " protractor for it, the one you have is a protractor where the manufacturer gaves to the customers but northing special.

Stevenson A is what you have there.

Again, I know you are not stupid but only with high ignorance level on that regards and because you are not stupid you always can learn. So do it !

Btw, which kind of question is that: " ave you ever read Stevenson’s explanation about his method ? """

please learn for you can’t make any more that kind of questions. If you don’t learn then you will cross that line of stupidity where some person here belongs. Take advantage that you are no there yet and do it a favor and learn or look for a good advisor/mentor/teacher in that alignment regards. I’m sure you can learn.

The only special-dedicated tonearm geometry/protractor I know is that one by SAT tonearm and with out any explanation yet by the manufacturer that alignment design was made it by ignorance.

@lewm, there are no " secrets " ( as you could think. ) about tonearm alignment subject only marketing that is bougth by people with not the rigth knowledge level on that regards.
You can use the 247mm/250mm Löfgren A/Baerwald on your tonearm with great success and better on what you have now, using the parameters I posted here somewhere. Even the ivelchev that's Löfgren A choice works just fine. Anything but Stevenson A !. At least you can try and if you don't like it just comeback.

R.

@chakster : I don’t know where is your common sense because I know for sure you are not a stupid gentleman as other.

Look, you said that for you Stevenson A alignment is the way to go due that normally listen to 7" recordings and that’s why the need of that alignment. I don’t know who or how you arrived to that conclusion because even with 7" recordings your assumption about is totally wrong and let me explain it:

I own several 7" recordings that I don’t listen and these size of recordings comes with a surface recorded length of 30mm ( around it. ) and the inner most recorded groove stays at 55mm so using Stevenson A you can get a little lower distortion levels in the last 8mm of those recorded 30mm surface.


So you choiced to have a little lower distortion level in the 26.7% of the recording surface in favor to have higher overall distortions? makes sense to you to have higher distortions levels in the 73.3% of all those 7" recordings? ? ! ! !
Because is that what you have !!!!!!

You are listening everywhere higher distortions in your system and that’s what you like and said there is no problem.

That’s why sometimes when you made recomendations on inferior quality items against top ones I normally post to you that: have no idea of what you are talking about and obviously you can have because you are listening with higher distortions that almost all audiophiles around the Earth.

Btw,  "   It has no sound signature, ..."""   how is that? because passive or active everything has signature. Obviously that with all those higher distortions you are accustom to you can't detect that kind of " signature ".

R.

Dear @ibelchev:  Your alignment is rigth and better that use the Stevenson A.

Problem  when we use 247mm/250mm Löfgren A alignmemntb is not the tonearm/headshell but those cartridges you and other persons like: SPU or FR7. This is the real problem on alignment.

So all of you not only are not  hearing a top cartridge quality level performance through the FR7s and you can't have that top quality performance because inside the dedicated FR cartridge the wires/connectors to permit the signal pass through makes a severe degradation to the signal and this is part of what you like.
Additional the cartridge is mounted in a non-damped tonearm in a way resonannt one that additional comes with a VTF ringing mechanism and that if not enough with that using Stevenson A way higher developed distortions and tracking error.

At least you don't use Stevenson any more.

I'm not against of what you like it because that is your privilege.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@chakster : I'm not against which alignment is what you choosed. What I'm against it is that you posted " no prlem with Stevenson A alignment ", could be no problem for you but for almost all audiophiles exist a huge problem when in any tonearm the choice is Stevenson A alignment.

Btw, if Technics is what is using then they are ignorant of the real problems in that Stevenson A regards.

Btw, 20grs. on effective mass is not " low mass " tonearm as you said.

R.

Dear @chakster @mulveling : You can try the cartridge/tonearm alignment in that FR with these parameters:

overhang: 16.5mm, offset angle: 21.95° and P2S: 233.5mm. The distortion levels goes down again as tracking error. That is Löfgren A/Baerwald alignment but now with and EL: 250mm.

@lewm you can try too. Of course if the headshell and tonearm permit it, my unit is not mounted so I can’t test if works but if works with no problem with the cartridge alignment then is a true improvement. improvement.

R.

Dear @chakster :  Well, 99.9999% of the audiophiles in the world always listen the normal LPs not 7"inch records.

As I said Stevenson A is based on ignorance. Period.

Btw, don't " listen " to that so stupid people like those germans that have no idea to calculate Löfgren/Baerwald alignment. Not only ignorant but stupid.Period.

Enjoy your new toy.

R.

Dear @chakster : " I use Stevenson by default with several tonearms, no problem with that. "

I don’t know what you mean with no problem with that/Stevenson.

Always is a real problem to align any tonearm with Stevenson A choice and the problem is that even if you can’t detected or if you are quite satisfied with Stevenson A alignment is the alignment choice with the higher distortion levels that the other standard alignments ( and by a wide margins. ): Löfgren A or B all over the LP surface but the last 3mm of the inner most IEC groove standard distance that normally comes with out recorded grooves.
Makes no sense to use Stevenson A: higher distortions all over the LP surface in favor of WHAT.

FR alignment specs comes for Stevenson A alignment and Mr. Ikeda as other Japanese brands that use Stevenson A are plain wrong. They have no idea about, they just did not understand how theose different alignment choices works. High ignorance level in this regards.

But those Germans are not only ignorant but stupid too when said that Löfgren A alignment for 246 effective length the P2S distance is 231.5mm. Totally wrong, it’s not.

If we want Löfgren A alignment in a FR tonearm using the FR effective length 245 spec then the P2S distance must be: 228.137mm , overhang : 16.863mm with an offset angle: 22.421°

But we can make Löfgren A calculations for a little longer effective length, say 247mm. This little change improves/lower the distortion levels.

Of course your Feickert protractor is rigth, no problem with. Dr. F. is not a stupid gentleman as other ignorants.

@mulveling , you can choose the P2S distance is convenient in your TT that permits the cartridge stylus to achieve the Löfgren A alignment.
If you choose 247mm for the FR effective length then the Löfgren A/Baerwald gives you a P2S distance of: 230.283mm with 16.717mm on overhang and  22.23° on offset angle.

That is a way way better alignment than the Stevenson A choice or the ignorant " germans ".

You only has to send Yip MINT LP that build the Löfgren A/Baerwald protractor for that P2S distance and the TT spindle diameter measure.

Avoid to use FR/Orsonic/or the like headshells and you can improve that tonearm / cartridge sounds quality levels not only with that kind of alignment but re-wiring the internal tonearm cable and setting up the VTF in static way to avoid the ringing mechanism in that FR balanced design.

@chakster this last sentence is one of the advantages in the GST 801 over almost all the balanced tonearm designs but the MS. You left go a way superior tonearm in favor of your " new kid " FR. Well, I know that you are a seller too. Good.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @dover : """ Copper mat on aluminium platter dampens the aluminium. """

and how damps the copper surface where the LP is seated?

R.